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DETROIT -- With 36 seconds remaining, trailing by three points after putting together a furious second-half comeback, the Chicago Bears were in position to tie or defeat the Lions on Thanksgiving Day. But late-game clock mismanagement assured the Bears would not get the chance to complete a come-from-behind victory against their division rival. As time ran out on Chicago to solidify a sixth consecutive loss in a 23-20 defeat, coach Matt Eberflus defended his decision for not calling a timeout in the final moments of the game. "We're at 36 seconds right there and our hope was, because it was third [down] going into fourth [down], that we would rerack that play at 18 seconds, throw it inbounds, get it in field goal range and then call a timeout," Eberflus said. Upon getting the ball back at Detroit's 1-yard line with 3:31 to play, the Bears ran 13 plays before facing second-and-20 from the Lions' 35-yard line. Quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked for a...

DETROIT -- The Chicago Bears could have celebrated a huge comeback and an upset win on Thursday. Instead, poor clock management on their final drive ended their bid and extended their losing streak to six games after a 23-20 loss to the Detroit Lions. The Bears drove into position for a tying field goal or winning touchdown, only to have a sack and questionable clock management end the game before they got a chance at either one. The confusion started after Caleb Williams hit Keenan Allen for a 12-yard completion to the Lions 13 in the final minute. That would have given the Bears plenty of time to try for the win before attempting the field goal, but guard Tevin Jenkins was called for illegal hands to the face, moving the ball back to the 35. On second down, the Bears called a draw play for Williams, hoping he could get the first down and set up the field goal. However, backup tackle Larry Borom didn't move as Za'Darius Smith...

DETROIT -- Thanksgiving Day in Dan Campbell's household wasn't the greatest experience the past few years. After suffering three straight Thanksgiving losses as coach of the Detroit Lions, Campbell described himself as a "bear" to be around and said his wife, Holly, was praying for a victory over the Chicago Bears on Thursday. "It'd be nice to feel good about it when you're with everybody because it's just not real fun. It's not real fun to be around," Campbell said beforehand. "Ask my wife, she'll tell you." Campbell and the Lions delivered Thursday, halting a seven-game losing streak in the annual holiday game by narrowly topping the Bears, 23-20. At 11-1, the Lions are off to their best start in franchise history. Prior to Thursday, the Lions hadn't won on Thanksgiving since 2016. Although it came down to the wire, Campbell said he'll "take this W and I'm not going to lose sleep over it." He described his mood as being "good" before heading home to...

Las Vegas Aces star Kelsey Plum has elected not to participate in Unrivaled, delivering a blow to the new 3-on-3 women's league set to debut Jan. 17. "I've decided to not take part in the inaugural season of Unrivaled in order to take some more time for myself this offseason," Plum posted in an Instagram story Wednesday. "I appreciate the league understanding and being so accommodating. I wish the league and all of the players nothing but the best and I'm excited to watch!" Plum had been named to the roster of the Laces, one of the league's six teams. Other Laces players expected to take the court for coach Andrew Wade are Kayla McBride ( Lynx), Alyssa Thomas ( Sun), Courtney Williams (Lynx), Kate Martin (Aces) and Stefanie Dolson ( Mystics). Plum's decision leaves the league three players short of filling out six full rosters. Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark declined an invitation to...

Las Vegas Aces star Kelsey Plum has elected not to participate in Unrivaled, delivering a blow to the new 3-on-3 women's league set to debut Jan. 17. "I've decided to not take part in the inaugural season of Unrivaled in order to take some more time for myself this offseason," Plum posted in an Instagram story Wednesday. "I appreciate the league understanding and being so accommodating. I wish the league and all of the players nothing but the best and I'm excited to watch!" Plum had been named to the roster of the Laces, one of the league's six teams. Other Laces players expected to take the court for coach Andrew Wade are Kayla McBride ( Lynx), Alyssa Thomas ( Sun), Courtney Williams (Lynx), Kate Martin (Aces) and Stefanie Dolson ( Mystics). Plum's decision leaves the league three players short of filling out six full rosters. Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark declined an invitation to...

Manchester United came from behind to beat Bodo/Glimt 3-2 in the Europa League and secure their first victory under new manager Ruben Amorim. United went ahead inside the first minute thanks to a howler from keeper Nikita Haikin, who failed to deal with a back pass and under pressure from Rasmus Højlund the ball broke free for Alejandro Garnacho to tap in from close range. The Norwegians scored twice with quick breaks, Hakon Evjen hitting a superb strike into the top corner in the 19th minute and Philip Zinckernagel holding off Tyrell Malacia before beating keeper André Onana to stun the Old Trafford crowd. United equalised just before the break when Noussair Mazraoui's pass into the area picked out Højlund who controlled the ball with his first touch before getting a shot away between two defenders into the far corner. Amorim's side went ahead five minutes after the break when Manuel Ugarte's low pass across the area was...

Real Madrid's bus was involved in a collision on Thursday on its return trip from Liverpool to Spain after the team's Champions League defeat, sources have told ESPN, with the incident leaving no one seriously hurt. Madrid were beaten 2-0 at Anfield -- their third loss in five Champions League games this season -- with goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo, and Kylian Mbappé missing a penalty. Sources said that Madrid's players were not on the bus at the time of the accident, and that the two drivers in charge of the journey were unharmed. The incident was a minor collision involving several vehicles, and only the headlights of the team bus were broken. The Madrid squad and coaching staff were not on the bus because they returned home by plane from Liverpool on Wednesday night. The aftermath of the accident was recorded by fans who shared videos of the damaged bus on social media. Real Madrid, like most big European clubs,...

Real Madrid's bus was involved in a collision on Thursday on its return trip from Liverpool to Spain after the team's Champions League defeat, sources have told ESPN, with the incident leaving no-one seriously hurt. Madrid were beaten 2-0 at Anfield -- their third loss in five Champions League games this season -- with goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo, and Kylian Mbappé missing a penalty. Sources said that Madrid's players were not on the bus at the time of the accident, and that the two drivers in charge of the journey were unharmed. The incident was a minor collision involving several vehicles, and only the headlights of the team bus were broken. The Madrid squad and coaching staff were not on the bus because they returned home by plane from Liverpool on Wednesday night. The aftermath of the accident was recorded by fans who shared videos of the damaged bus on social media. Real Madrid, like most big European clubs,...

Caleb Grill, Missouri's leading scorer, has avoided serious injury and been discharged from a local hospital following a scary, midair collision with his head and neck during his team's win over Lindenwood Wednesday, the school announced. Grill had been placed on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital after he tried to grab a rebound in the first half of the game before his head snapped back and he fell to the ground. The school said he had suffered an injury to his "head and neck" area. His timetable to return is unknown. "Caleb Grill suffered a neck injury during Missouri's contest versus Lindenwood Wednesday night," the school said in a statement on Thursday. "He underwent further tests following the game and was discharged last night after they revealed no spinal cord injury." Following the game, coach Dennis Gates said all signs were positive after Grill gave the crowd a thumbs up signal as he was leaving the court. Gates credited the school's medical...

New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito is listed as inactive for Thursday's game against the Dallas Cowboys due to his forearm injury, and Drew Lock is expected to start in his place. DeVito did not travel with the team to Dallas on Wednesday as he was undergoing further evaluation, the Giants said. The team, however, said it expected him to travel to Dallas later Wednesday. DeVito took several big hits in Sunday's 30-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was making his first start of the season after the Giants released former starter Daniel Jones late last week. The Giants now turn to Lock after bypassing him following the benching of Jones for DeVito. Lock spent the first 10 weeks of the season as the backup, with DeVito as the third string/emergency quarterback. Lock has a short week and no real practices to get ready for the matchup of NFC East rivals. He also will be playing behind an offensive line without its starting tackles. ...

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said Thursday he had a preliminary conversation with  North Carolina about their head coach vacancy following the dismissal of Mack Brown, but Smith also emphasized his happiness in Pittsburgh. Smith, who was an offensive lineman for UNC from 2001-05, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for his alma mater in 2006 under John Bunting. "Reality is [UNC] reached out on preliminary call," Smith said. "I appreciate it, love that place. But that's not my focus. I mean I've got one of the best jobs in football right now. There's a lot to be said too about [how you] can't put a price on personal and professional happiness, which I have here." Smith, 42, joined the Steelers' coaching staff in February after a three-year stint as the Atlanta Falcons head coach. "I've got an awesome job here," Smith said. "Love it here in Pittsburgh. [I] probably [have] a different mindset than I had five, four...

New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito is expected to be out for Thursday's game against the Dallas Cowboys because of his forearm injury and Drew Lock is expected to start in his place, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jordan Raanan. DeVito is listed as questionable for the Thanksgiving Day game, but a source told ESPN on Wednesday that DeVito was considered a long shot to play. He did not travel with the team to Dallas on Wednesday as he was undergoing further evaluation, the Giants said. The team, however, said it expected him to travel to Dallas later Wednesday. DeVito took several big hits in Sunday's 30-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was making his first start of the season after the Giants released former starter Daniel Jones late last week. The Giants turn to Lock after bypassing him following the benching of Jones for DeVito. Lock spent the first 10 weeks as the backup, with DeVito as the third string/emergency...

Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine, a heart medication known as TMZ, the International Tennis Integrity Agency announced Thursday. Swiatek failed an out-of-competition drug test in August. She formally admitted the anti-doping rule violation Wednesday and accepted her penalty. The ITIA accepted her explanation that the result was unintentional and was caused by the contamination of a nonprescription medication, melatonin, that Swiatek was taking for issues with jet lag and sleeping. It was determined her level of fault was "at the lowest end of the range for no significant fault or negligence," the ITIA said. Swiatek has only eight days remaining on the punishment, after she was provisionally suspended from Sept. 12 to Oct. 4 and missed three tournaments. The remaining suspension will be completed while there is no competition, and Swiatek will be cleared to return to play...

UConn forward Alex Karaban was taken to a hospital for a head injury after an 85-67 loss to Dayton on Wednesday that sent the No. 2 Huskies to an 0-3 finish at the Maui Invitational. Karaban's head hit the floor after being fouled with about 2½ minutes left. He stayed in the game but was later placed in the concussion protocol and sent to the hospital for further testing. Karaban got clearance to fly home with the rest of the team shortly before takeoff, a team spokesman said Thursday. Karaban made four of his team's eight 3-pointers and scored 15 of his team-high 21 points in the first half to lead the Huskies (4-3), who lost all three games they played at the tournament. "When you come to a tournament like this, and it's three games in three days, it starts to go bad, there's no way of fixing it because there's no time to," UConn coach Dan Hurley said. "You just have to deal with the situation. It was a humbling trip obviously for the program that's...

LAS VEGAS -- Boise State, which twice boycotted regular-season matches with San Jose State, pulled out of the Mountain West women's volleyball tournament Wednesday night even after securing a spot in the semifinals against the Spartans. San Jose State, which received six forfeit victories because of boycotts from Mountain West opponents, is seeded second in the conference tournament and received a first-round bye. Now the Spartans will advance to Saturday's championship match rather than take the court Friday. Boise State released a statement that read: "The decision to not continue to play in the 2024 Mountain West Volleyball Championship tournament was not an easy one. Our team overcame forfeitures to earn a spot in the tournament field and fought for the win over Utah State in the first round on Wednesday. They should not have to forgo this opportunity while waiting for a more thoughtful and better system that serves all athletes." San Jose State said it would issue a...

In his four-plus NBA seasons, Anthony Edwards has never been afraid to speak his mind. But the Minnesota Timberwolves star was particularly candid in a profanity-laced explanation of his team's recent struggles following a 115-104 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. "Our identity right now is, I think it's we soft as hell as a team, internally," Edwards said. "Not to the other team, but internally, we soft. We can't talk to each other. Just a bunch of little kids. Just like we playing with a bunch of little kids. Everybody, the whole team. We just can't talk to each other. And we've got to figure it out, because we can't go down this road." Minnesota reached the 2024 Western Conference finals. But the Timberwolves have lost four in a row and seven of nine after starting 6-3 this season. A lineup that experienced a significant shake-up late in the offseason with the Karl-Anthony Towns trade still looks disjointed at times. That...

Los Angeles Dodgers star  Shohei Ohtani wants his former interpreter to hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of baseball cards he says were fraudulently bought using his money. Ohtani is also requesting Ippei Mizuhara, who previously pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud for stealing nearly $17 million from the unsuspecting athlete, return signed collectible baseball cards depicting Ohtani that were in Mizuhara's "unauthorized and wrongful possession," according to court documents filed Tuesday. The legal filing alleges Mizuhara accessed Ohtani's bank account beginning around November 2021, changing his security protocols so that he could impersonate him to authorize wire transfers. By 2024, Mizuhara had used that money to buy about $325,000 worth of baseball cards at online resellers eBay and Whatnot, according to the court documents. Mizuhara's attorney, Michael G. Freedman, declined to comment on the filing. Mizuhara pleaded guilty in June to...

MINNEAPOLIS -- In his four-plus NBA seasons, Anthony Edwards has never been afraid to speak his mind. But the Minnesota Timberwolves star was particularly candid in a profanity-laced explanation of his team's recent struggles following a 115-104 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. "Our identity right now is, I think it's we soft as hell as a team, internally," Edwards said. "Not to the other team, but internally, we soft. We can't talk to each other. Just a bunch of little kids. Just like we playing with a bunch of little kids. Everybody, the whole team. We just can't talk to each other. And we've got to figure it out, because we can't go down this road." Minnesota reached the 2024 Western Conference finals. But the Timberwolves have lost four in a row and seven of nine after starting 6-3 this season. A lineup that experienced a significant shakeup late in the offseason with the Karl-Anthony Towns trade still looks disjointed at...

Washington Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren was able to laugh at himself after committing what he called "the worst mistake" he has ever made on ice. It helped that his teammates went on to bail him out, rallying the Capitals to a 5-4 victory Wednesday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. With the score tied at 3-3, Lindgren tried to play the puck behind him but inadvertently fired it into his own net at 7:25 of the third period. But the Capitals didn't get rattled after Lindgren's own goal put the Lightning in front, answering just three minutes later when  John Carlson pulled Washington even with 9:30 left.  Tom Wilson then put the Capitals ahead, scoring a power-play goal with 3:26 left in regulation to lift them to their sixth straight win on the road. "You've obviously got two choices in that moment: You can either go in your shell or you can go and battle," Lindgren said. "It wasn't fun in the moment, but the guys rallied around me and found a way...

CLEVELAND -- The NBA's leader in assists handed Cleveland a rare loss. Trae Young had a career-high 22 assists -- the most in the NBA this season -- and scored 20 points as the Atlanta Hawks dealt Cleveland just its second loss this season, beating the Cavaliers 135-124 on Thursday night. The Cavs, who built an early 19-point lead, fell to 17-2 and lost for the first time in 11 home games. One of the game's deepest shooters, Young also made a 39-foot 3-pointer in the final two minutes as the Hawks snapped a three-game losing streak and got their second major road win after knocking off the champion Celtics in Boston on Nov. 12. Young's assist total was one better than the 21 recorded by New Orleans guard Elfrid Payton earlier this week against Indiana. It was also just one shy of the Hawks' record held by Mookie Blaylock, who got 23 assists on March 6, 1993, against Utah. "He threw himself into the game,"...

The PGA Tour-LIV Golf made-for-TV matchup on Dec. 17 featuring four of the sport's biggest names will have a purse worth a minimum of $10 million in cryptocurrency, Front Office Sports reported on Wednesday. The newly named Crypto.com Showdown will see Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy of the PGA Tour compete against Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau of LIV in an 18-hole event at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas. The purse will be paid in CRO cryptocurrency, the sponsor said. It's unclear how much the winning and losing teams will receive. The prize money is more than the purse at most tournaments on the PGA Tour, other than majors and signature events, which are usually in the $8 million-$9 million range. The winners of PGA events often take more than $1 million. Crypto.com CMO Steve Kalifowitz told Front Office Sports that the players don't have to keep the cryptocurrency and can sell or trade their winnings. The contest, which will air...

Carlo Ancelotti said Kylian Mbappé is suffering from "a lack of confidence" after the forward missed a penalty in Real Madrid's 2-0 Champions League defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday. Mbappé had the chance to level the game at 1-1 in the 61st minute -- after Alexis Mac Allister had put Liverpool ahead at Anfield -- but his spot kick was saved by Caoimhín Kelleher. Mohamed Salah also missed a penalty, before Cody Gakpo doubled the home side's lead with a header to put Liverpool top of the Champions League table and leave Madrid struggling in 24th place. "It happens a lot with forwards; there are times when it's hard for them to score," Ancelotti said in his postmatch news conference. "There's a cure, and it's patience. It's a difficult moment for him, above all today, with the missed penalty. Everyone has to support him. "It could be a lack of confidence. Sometimes, when you have a moment when things aren't going well, the...

Shortstop  Brandon Crawford announced he was retiring from baseball Wednesday after a 14-year career in which he made three All-Star teams and won two World Series championships with the San Francisco Giants. "Baseball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and for the rest of my life I will be thankful for the opportunities and experiences it has given me," Crawford wrote in an Instagram post. "Time is precious. I'm incredibly grateful for all the years I spent playing the game I love, but now it is time for me to spend it with the people who I'm most thankful for. "Thank you to all of you who have [been] there for me throughout the years. It's been an unbelievable ride." A native of Mountain View, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area, Crawford, 37, played for the St. Louis Cardinals last season after spending the first 13 years of his career with the Giants, who selected the UCLA player in the fourth round of the 2008 draft. St....

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Rams will not suspend wide receiver Demarcus Robinson for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints after he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, coach Sean McVay said Wednesday.  Robinson was arrested at approximately 5:13 a.m. Monday in Woodland Hills, California, after he was observed driving more than 100 mph on U.S. 101 northbound. The arrest came hours after he caught a touchdown in the Rams' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. McVay said Wednesday that the team will "let the legal process take place" and let the league go through its disciplinary process as well.  Robinson, speaking after Wednesday's practice, said he has not heard from the NFL and does not have a timeline for when the legal process will play out. He met with McVay and the Rams front office Monday afternoon.  McVay said he thinks Robinson understands "the severity of this and how lucky we were that...

Carlo Ancelotti said Kylian Mbappé is suffering from "a lack of confidence" after the forward missed a penalty in Real Madrid's 2-0 Champions League defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday. Mbappé had the chance to level the game at 1-1 in the 61st minute -- after Alexis Mac Allister had put Liverpool ahead at Anfield -- but his spot kick was saved by Caoimhín Kelleher. Mo Salah also missed a penalty, before Cody Gakpo doubled the home side's lead with a header, to put Liverpool top of the Champions League table, and leave Madrid struggling in 24th place. "It happens a lot with forwards, there are times when it's hard for them to score," Ancelotti said in his post-match news conference. "There's a cure, and it's patience. It's a difficult moment for him, above all today, with the missed penalty. Everyone has to support him. "It could be a lack of confidence. Sometimes, when you have a moment when things aren't going well, the idea is to...

Former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is signing with the Minnesota Vikings, coach Kevin O'Connell said Wednesday, a notable move for a team that is likely facing another quarterback transition in the offseason. Jones became a free agent Monday after clearing waivers following a mutual decision to move on from New York. Sources had told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Jones preferred to sign with a playoff contender, with the Vikings among his potential destinations. The Vikings are signing Jones for $375,000 for the remainder of this season, a source told Schefter. He will start out on the Vikings' practice squad, leaving the possibility Jones could sign with another team if another starting quarterback goes down in the next three weeks. Jones is scheduled to become a free agent after this season. O'Connell said Wednesday afternoon that Jones is scheduled to join the practice squad Friday morning, pending the finalization of his one-year...

Liverpool took top spot in the Champions League table on Wednesday with a dominant 2-0 victory over holders Real Madrid thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo. Such was the Reds' superiority that they could afford the luxury of a rare Mohamed Salah penalty miss in between goals as they claimed a fifth win from five games to sit two points clear at the head of the new-look league format. On a miserable night for the Spaniards, now 24th in the 36-team competition, Kylian Mbappé was well-shackled and also missed a penalty that would have drawn Real level against the run of play in the second half. With Liverpool dominating possession and chances, Mac Allister struck the opener in the 52nd minute after a neat one-two with Conor Bradley in front of an ecstatic Kop end at Anfield. Gakpo sealed the game in the 76th minute with a header past Thibaut Courtois from an Andy Robertson cross. "When you play...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- While star teammates such as quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, receivers  Deebo Samuel Sr. and Brandon Aiyuk and defensive end Nick Bosa have missed games because of injury this season, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner has been a stalwart. But, as it turns out, that's not because Warner hasn't been dealing with his share of pain. Warner revealed for the first time Wednesday that he has been playing through a fractured bone in his ankle that he sustained in a Sept. 29 win against the New England Patriots. That means when the Niners meet the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night, Warner will be playing his eighth consecutive game with the ankle injury. "It's something I deal with every game," Warner said. "I get on that table before every game and get it shot up every single game just to be able to roll. But it's not an excuse. It's just what it is. That's the NFL. You're...

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Golden State Warriors have ruled out star point guard Stephen Curry for Wednesday night's game against the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder because of pain in both knees. Curry was downgraded to out on the NBA injury report with bilateral knee, patellofemoral pain. Jonathan Kuminga returned to practice after missing two games with illness, and coach Steve Kerr said the forward looked good. Curry and Draymond Green were held out of practice on Tuesday, but Green was not listed on the injury report for Wednesday's game. Curry logged 29 minutes and had 28 points and seven assists in Monday's loss to the Brooklyn Nets. The Warriors (12-5) have already played one stretch without their superstar this season, going 3-0 when Curry was out with a peroneal strain in his left ankle from Oct. 29 through Nov. 2. After getting out to a 10-2 start, Golden State has dropped three of its past five games, and the...

New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd successfully appealed an $11,817 unnecessary roughness fine, according to a source. Shepherd was accused of intentionally trying injure Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in a Week 8 game on Oct. 27. Several Chargers players said Shepherd tried to reinjure Herbert's right ankle, which had been sprained earlier in the season. Shepherd appealed the fine and received notice from the NFL last week that it would be rescinded. This was Shepherd's only fine and penalty of the season to date. Shepherd and Chargers center Bradley Bozeman were both flagged for unnecessary roughness after Shepherd pulled Herbert to the ground while Herbert was throwing a pass. While on the ground, Shepherd rolled over with his arms around Hebert's right leg as Herbert went down, causing the quarterback's right ankle to become twisted in Shepherd's grip. Bozeman jumped on Shepherd and shoved him off Herbert,...

HENDERSON, Nev. -- Aidan O'Connell, recovered from a broken thumb on his right (passing) hand, will start at quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders at the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday, coach Antonio Pierce said Wednesday. "Aidan's looking good," Pierce said. "We'll throw the ball a little bit today in practice, but he's done good over the last two days with some walk-throughs and, obviously, [practicing] indoors, but we'll see how it looks today. "But we feel good about Aidan. He's been dialed in, obviously, throughout this time that he's been on IR. He's done all the meetings. He's been very encouraging on the sideline. He's got that laser-eye focus right now. Great opportunity for him." O'Connell, on injured reserve since Oct. 22, had his practice window opened Monday. "It's not 100%, but it's pretty close," O'Connell said Tuesday. "It's felt pretty good the last few days throwing. I got to throw starting a little bit in the last couple of weeks and...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs plan to activate running back Isiah Pacheco off the injured reserve list and defensive end Charles Omenihu off the physically unable to perform list in time for them to play in Friday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders, coach Andy Reid said Wednesday. Pacheco and Omenihu will play, Reid said, "as long as they're OK. We'll check on it again today, try to take it day by day. If they're good after today, then we'll play them.'' Pacheco, the Chiefs' leading rusher the past two seasons, has been on IR since early in the season with a broken leg. Omenihu tore an ACL in last season's AFC Championship Game and hasn't played this year. Kareem Hunt has filled in for Pacheco as the Chiefs' featured back. He leads the Chiefs in rushing with 577 yards and is second on the team in touchdowns with five. Pacheco rushed for 830 yards as a rookie in 2022 and 935 yards last season. He rushed for 135 yards in two games...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Trevor Lawrence isn't ruling out having surgery on his sprained left shoulder before the season ends, but the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback also is adamant that he wants to get back on the field as soon as possible. It looks like the latter could happen Sunday against the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium if the rest of the week goes well in Lawrence's return to practice. "I think [the sprained AC joint] has been a pretty difficult thing to gauge, honestly, of what's the best path forward," Lawrence said Wednesday. "[Surgery is] definitely something that I'm considering and not off the table at all. It's something that we're going to have to just [approach] truly day-by-day, week-by -week. "Hopefully I'm able to get back out there this week or as soon as possible and then it's going to be just every week kind of evaluating it, seeing where it's at. Obviously up until this point I've been doing everything I can to avoid that and...

Brooklyn Nets rising star Cam Thomas will miss three to four weeks because of a left hamstring strain, sources told ESPN. Thomas, 23, suffered the strain while leading consecutive impressive road victories in the Bay Area, scoring 34 points on 11-of-22 shooting in a win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday then 23 points on 6-of-11 from the field in a win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday. In his fourth NBA season, the guard -- already known as a dynamic scorer -- has made a leap in efficiency. After scoring 22.5 points per game in 2023-24, Thomas is averaging career highs across the board amid an All-Star-caliber start to the season: 24.7 points, 3.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 46.1% shooting from the field and 38.9% shooting from 3-point range. Thomas ranks 14th in the NBA in scoring. The Nets are 8-10 entering Wednesday's road game against the Suns and are currently competing for a postseason berth in the Eastern Conference.

New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito is a long shot to play Thursday against the Dallas Cowboys because of a forearm injury, a source told ESPN on Wednesday. Drew Lock is in line to make his first start this season for the Giants. Tim Boyle would be his backup. DeVito is officially listed as questionable and was listed as not participating in Wednesday's walk-through practice. He did not travel with the team to Dallas on Wednesday as he was undergoing further evaluation, the Giants said. The team, however, said it expected him to travel to Dallas later Wednesday. DeVito took several big hits in Sunday's 30-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was making his first start of the season after the Giants released former starter Daniel Jones late last week. Coach Brian Daboll had said Wednesday that DeVito was not 100 percent to play because of his injury. The Giants (2-9) are also operating on a short week with just four days between...

LIV Golf is expected to hire former NBA and NHL executive Scott O'Neil to replace Greg Norman as its CEO and commissioner, sources confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday. If a deal is finalized with O'Neil, an announcement could come as early as next week, sources said. O'Neil worked as CEO of the Philadelphia 76ers starting in 2013 and later oversaw the NBA franchise and the NHL's New Jersey Devils as CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. O'Neil was most recently the CEO of London-based Merlin Entertainments, one of the world's largest operators of amusement parks and resorts. Merlin Entertainments announced Wednesday that O'Neil had informed its board that he is leaving for "another opportunity" and stepping down as CEO at the end of the year. Norman, 69, had previously said he expects to remain with LIV Golf in some capacity. He told Sports Illustrated that his contract with the circuit ends in August 2025. A LIV Golf spokesman declined comment when reached by ESPN on...

LOS ANGELES --  Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins suffered a sprained MCL and is expected to be out Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Wednesday. Dobbins will be week-to-week moving forward, the source told Schefter. Dobbins sustained his injury in the first half of the Chargers' 30-23 loss Monday night to the Baltimore Ravens and didn't play in the second half. He had 40 yards on six carries before the injury. The injury came in perhaps the most important game of the year for Dobbins, who was playing against his former team. The Ravens let Dobbins, 25, walk last offseason after he played in just 24 of a potential 73 games since the Ravens drafted him in 2020. Instead, Baltimore signed former All-Pro running back  Derrick Henry, who ranks second in the NFL this season with 1,325 rushing yards. Dobbins signed with the Chargers for one year and $1.61 million with just $50,000 guaranteed, a deal that...

Inter Miami forward Luis Suárez signed a one-year contract extension, meaning he will continue to play in Major League Soccer next season. Suarez, who joined the Herons on a one-year contract in December, tied for second place in the MLS Golden Boot race and earned a nomination to the 2024 MLS newcomer of the year award. "I'm very happy, very excited to continue for another year and to be able to enjoy being here with this fanbase, which for us is like family. We feel very, very connected with them, and hopefully, next year, we can bring them even more joy," Suárez said. The forward recorded 21 goals and 10 assists in 30 MLS matches to help inspire Inter Miami to the 2024 Supporter's Shield and set the league record for most points in a single season. "Luis Suarez has been an amazing addition to the league, what he did this year was spectacular," co-owner Jorge Mas said. "In 2024, Luis brought to Inter Miami all of the elements that make him one of the greatest...

Former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is signing with the Minnesota Vikings, coach Kevin O'Connell said Wednesday, a notable move for a team that is likely facing another quarterback transition in the offseason. Jones became a free agent Monday after clearing waivers following a mutual decision to move on from New York. Sources had told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Jones preferred to sign with a playoff contender, with the Vikings among his potential destinations. The Vikings are signing Jones for $375,000 for the remainder of this season, a source told Schefter. He will start out on the Vikings' practice squad, leaving the possibility Jones could sign with another team if another starting quarterback goes down in the next three weeks. Jones is scheduled to become a free agent after this season. O'Connell said Wednesday afternoon that Jones is scheduled to join the practice squad Friday morning, pending the finalization of his one-year contract....

LAS VEGAS --  Kansas star center Hunter Dickinson was ejected in the second half of the No. 1 Jayhawks' 75-72 win against No. 11  Duke on Tuesday night after kicking  Maliq Brown in the face while the two were on the floor. With 10:26 left, Dickinson missed a short jump hook over Brown. Both players fell to the court fighting for the rebound, with Dickinson drawing a foul on Brown. While they were down, Dickinson kicked out and made contact with Brown's face.  After a lengthy monitor review, Dickinson was assessed a flagrant foul 2 and ejected. He initially remained in the bench area with his teammates before being escorted to the locker room. "I thought it was a good call," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "I thought the flagrant 2 may have been a little severe. I thought it was definitely a flagrant 1. ... I didn't think at the moment that it warranted a level 2, but I do think it needed to be called." "The explanation was that it was...

Free agent left-hander Blake Snell and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a five-year, $182 million contract, sources told ESPN on Tuesday night. The deal, which is pending a physical, includes no opt-outs, some deferred money and a $52 million signing bonus, sources said.  For the Dodgers, Snell gives the World Series champions a frontline starter for their title defense next season after they survived October by depending heavily on their bullpen with just three healthy starters. For Snell, the pact marks a much quicker and satisfying conclusion to his second stint as a free agent. The $182 million contract is the third largest for a left-handed pitcher in major league history based on total value, behind only David Price's with the Boston Red Sox in 2015 ($217 million) and Clayton Kershaw's with the Dodgers in 2014 ($215M). For the Dodgers, it's another massive deal for a free agent. They have now handed out five contracts worth at...

The top four stayed the same for the third week in a row in the fourth installment of the College Football Playoff rankings Tuesday night, but a chaotic Saturday brought plenty more changes to the playoff picture. No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Penn State remain atop the selection committee's rankings entering the final week of the regular season. Indiana (10-1) dropped five spots to No. 10 following its 38-15 loss at Ohio State but remains in position to earn a CFP bid with a win over Purdue (1-10). "We viewed Indiana, they played well at times against Ohio State," Warde Manuel, chair of the CFP committee, said on ESPN's rankings release show Tuesday night. "We were impressed with some of the things that Indiana did. And they dropped five, but we still felt that their body of work was strong enough to remain in the top 10." Notre Dame replaced the Hoosiers at No. 5 following its 49-14 rout of undefeated ...

The Iron Bowl has been a bit spicy in the buildup to Saturday's game, and Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe subtly joined the fray Tuesday when asked about pointed comments made by Auburn freshman linebacker Demarcus Riddick. "I don't know who that is," a smiling Milroe said. "I mean, let him talk. It's a part of it. It's all about executing what we need to do so we can be at our best this weekend. But, yeah, good on him." Riddick made the first move Monday when he said, among other things, that Alabama freshman receiver Ryan Williams "ain't no big-time player to me" and that "every rival team I've played, I never lost to, and I will not lose to Bama while I'm here." In addition, Riddick shrugged off Milroe's ability to make plays in the running game. Milroe leads Alabama with 615 rushing yards and is second among all FBS quarterbacks with 17 rushing touchdowns. "He is a good quarterback. He's fast," Riddick said. "But, I mean, he's not...

Conor McGregor will no longer be the face of Irish whiskey brand Proper No. 12 after he was found liable in a sexual assault case last week in Dublin. Proper No. 12, which McGregor helped found in 2018, told the Irish Independent on Tuesday it would no longer be associated with the former UFC champion. McGregor sold his stake in Proper No. 12 in 2021 but had continued as the public face of the brand. "Since 2021, Proximo Spirits has been the 100 percent owner of Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey," the company told the Irish Independent. "Going forward, we do not plan to use Mr. McGregor's name and likeness in the marketing of the brand." McGregor, 35, was found liable by a civil jury in a case in which a woman said McGregor sexually assaulted her in a hotel room in December 2018. The High Court in Dublin ordered him to pay the complainant 248,000 euros, or around $257,000. McGregor, who said in court he had consensual sex with the woman, has said he intends to appeal the decision. He...

LAHAINA, Hawaii -- Andrej Jakimovski converted an off-balance layup with eight seconds left, and  Colorado handed No. 2  UConn its second loss in two days at the Maui Invitational, beating the two-time defending national champion 73-72 on Tuesday. A day after a 99-97 overtime loss to  Memphis that left Huskies coach Dan Hurley livid about the officiating, UConn (4-2) couldn't shake the unranked Buffaloes (5-1), who shot 62.5% in the second half. The Huskies led 40-32 at halftime and by nine points early in the second half, but Colorado quickly closed that gap. With Colorado trailing 72-71 in the closing seconds, Jakimovski drove to his right and absorbed contact from UConn's Liam McNeeley. He tossed the ball toward the glass and the shot was good as he fell to the floor. Hassan Diarra missed a 3-pointer just ahead of the buzzer for UConn. "At halftime, I felt like we were going to do what we do at UConn, which would be get it to...

Robert Lewandowski joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the only players in Champions League history with 100 or more goals.  Lewandowski's early penalty kick started Barcelona off to a 3-0 win over previously unbeaten Brest to move into second place in the new single-league format. The Poland striker added goal No. 101 in second-half stoppage time. Ronaldo leads the all-time scoring list with 140 goals, and Messi is next with 129. But neither Ronaldo nor Messi play in the Champions League anymore following moves to the Saudi Pro League and the MLS, respectively. "I am very happy, it's a lovely number to bring up. Years ago I did not think I could score more than 100 goals in the Champions League. To join Messi and Ronaldo ... I guess they are good, right?" Lewandowski told Movistar. "For me the most important thing is that we try to win every game, if I can score, then that's the perfect solution," he...

Top-10 prospect Chris Cenac Jr., the No. 1 center in the 2025 class, has committed to Houston -- becoming the program's highest-ranked recruit in the modern era and giving the Cougars the No. 2 recruiting class in the country. Cenac chose the Cougars over a final list that also included LSU, Auburn, Arkansas, Baylor, Kentucky and Tennessee. Home-state option LSU was strongly in the mix for much of Cenac's recruitment, while Kentucky made a push in the summer and Tennessee tried to close the gap in recent weeks. But Houston has been in a strong position for Cenac for much of the fall, and the big man's relationship with head coach Kelvin Sampson and assistant coach Quannas White was a key factor. "I built a great relationship with Coach Sampson, Coach White and the rest of the staff. They have a plan to develop me, and I trust them," Cenac told ESPN. "I know Coach Sampson is going to coach me hard. I want that and I need that. I am a coachable player. People see...

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is undecided on whether he wants to continue his legendary career in 2025. If he does, he wants it to be with the  New York Jets. The four-time MVP, appearing Tuesday on "The Pat McAfee Show," addressed his future amid reports over the weekend that said he wants out of New York and that he could be benched or even released by the end of the season. "I don't even know if I want to play yet, but New York would be my first option," Rodgers said during his weekly appearance, commenting on next season. Rodgers, who turns 41 next Monday, said he will base his decision on how his body feels and whether the Jets want him back. "You want to be in a spot where you feel like you can win and you're valued," said Rodgers, mired in one of the worst statistical seasons of his career. The choice might not be his. The Jets (3-8), who fired coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, will have a new regime in 2025. The new leaders may opt to cut...

Top Colorado NFL draft prospects QB Shedeur Sanders and WR/DB Travis Hunter are expected to play in a bowl game, coach Deion Sanders said Tuesday. Hinting at the possibility the duo could follow the recent trend of sitting out a bowl game to protect against the possibility of injury ahead of the NFL draft, Sanders was asked if Friday's game at home against Oklahoma State could be the final time they suit up for Colorado. "No, it's not the last time you're going to see them in a Buffs uniform," Sanders said. "These two and all the rest of the seniors have done a wonderful job of getting us to where we are, instilling so much expectation in our fan base and expectation in ourselves. "So, we're going to fight and try to go out there and kick some butt and end this thing on the right note. And we are going to go to a bowl game in this thing on the right note because our fans deserve the absolute best." Colorado's loss to Kansas on Saturday was...

Aaron Rodgers disputed a report that said he wants to continue his NFL career in 2025 on a team other than the New York Jets. Appearing Tuesday on "The Pat McAfee Show," the veteran quarterback said he has yet to decide whether he'll play in 2025 -- however, he said that if he does, he'd like to play for the Jets. "I haven't told anybody in my life that I want to play in 2025 and not on the Jets," Rodgers said. "So, that's 100% false. "I actually said the opposite, that I'm going to wait and see what happens at the end of the season and if they want me back, and what happens with [interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich] and what happens with the offensive staff and obviously the GM at the time, and then they just fired Joe [Douglas, the GM]. There's a lot of things out of my control when it comes to that. But I really have enjoyed my time in New York. "... I don't even know if I want to play yet, but New York would be my first option." The Athletic had reported that Rodgers...